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Windows License Type

Tapcodia

Member
If i buy a permanent Desktop license to develop, can i later change/upgrade/buy the license for Mobile and be able to publish my game for desktops and mobile devices?
Or does Mobile also allow you to publish to mobile and desktops?
I just want to get the cheapest license and upgrade it later when the game is complete.
 
  1. Yes, you can buy mobile export after already have desktop export license
  2. No, mobile export doesn't give such ability - read the description provided what you get to export to.
 

Tapcodia

Member
If i create a game, do i have to worry about exporting to Android vs iOS vs desktop- stuff like resolution, screen size etc. Basically does GM produce universal builds, write once output to different devices?
 

TsukaYuriko

☄️
Forum Staff
Moderator
You can export to different target platforms using the same source code, but you do have to take care of stuff like resolutions and scaling unless you're willing to just accept whatever scaling would be applied if you don't. There's no way the engine can know how you want this to work, so it's not done automatically.
 

kburkhart84

Firehammer Games
If i create a game, do i have to worry about exporting to Android vs iOS vs desktop- stuff like resolution, screen size etc. Basically does GM produce universal builds, write once output to different devices?
In general, the builds are compatible between devices...but you do still have to account for resolution and screen size, and there will be differences as far as processing input as well.
 

kburkhart84

Firehammer Games
Would i have to buy the Desktop license and pay the monthly cost for Creator?
Creator is an alternative for Desktop. If you own the regular desktop license, there is no need to buy Creator. It is generally either or, with one leading to a discount on the other.
 

kburkhart84

Firehammer Games
Desktop lets you use Windows, Mac, or Ubuntu as far as exports, and if I remember correctly you can use the software on Windows or Mac.

Why don't you check the website for this information? It's actually pretty clear. Then if you don't understand part of it, you can quote the part you don't get when you ask here.
 

Tapcodia

Member
I did check the website. For creator there is Mac or windows, for developer it just says desktop. All these questions were a result of not understanding the website. Didn't mean to bother you guys with questions.
 
For creator, you get just 1 export capability; choose between Mac or Windows. And that is for a 1 year period before you need to renew your license.
With Developer Desktop, you get both Mac and Windows plus Ubuntu. Which is permanent, no renewing license. But you've to keep in mind that you need to have a Mac to export to Apple's OS, can't use Windows. But with this license, if you have both Windows and Mac, you can install to both devices. The same applies to Mobile export license, you can only export to Apple iOS if you are using Mac, else can't.
 
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Mr Magnus

Viking King
The Creator version runs on the same platform as it exports to. Mac to Mac and Windows to Windows. It must be renewed yearly.

The Developer version runs on both Windows and Mac and exports to whatever devices and platforms specified in the license: Mac+Windows+Ubuntu; HTML5; UWS; Android+Fire+IOS. This is permanent and lasts for as long as gameMaker2 is supported.

The console versions need acceptance from said console platform and you're not likely to need those until you're having a runaway hit game that needs porting.
 

Tapcodia

Member
Thanks for the additional information. I have been going through the demos and so far GM looks pretty good. I have Studio 1.4 but never played with it because i had no time. Now i have plenty of time and want to get back to creating games.
 

gnysek

Member
Think of every license, like a plugin to IDE. Having at least one license allows you to use it at all, and gives you export options for which you paid. Creator/Desktop are similar, difference is that Creator is for one year and only allows export to one Desktop version (Mac or Windows), while Desktop is permanent and includes Mac+Win+Linux export at same time (and IDE for Mac+Windows). So in fact Creator is not worth buying in my opinion, if you want to use GameMakerStudio 2 longer than year.
 

kburkhart84

Firehammer Games
The only advantage of Creator is either if you don't know if you are going to use it longer than a year, and/or if you currently have only that $40 budget at this time. It is nice in that after that year is up, you just pay the difference(plus a little bitty bit more) and upgrade to the full Desktop license. It isn't a path I would take, but I already know what the software is, etc...
 
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